CHISATO TAMABAYASHI – BOOK ARTIST

Plunge, handmade pop-up book by Chisato Tamabayashi

Chisato Tamabayashi fell in love with book arts because of the surprises that can be contained within seemingly ordinary pages. She was born in Osaka, Japan and moved to London in 1998. She has an MA from the Royal College of Art and a degree in Graphic Media Design from the London College of Printing.

IKUKO IWAMOTO – CERAMICS AND FRAMED SCULPTURE

From her studio in Clerkenwell, Ikuko Iwamoto makes ceramics inspired by the microscopic world and an imagined “bizarre tea ceremony.” Ikuko studied ceramics at Tezukayama College in Japan before earning her BA in Ceramics at Camberwell College of Art and an MA in Ceramic and Glass at the Royal College of Art.

YUKI SASAKURA ASSITER – JEWELLERY

Silver rings by Yuki Sasakura Assiter

Combining precious metals with fabric, stones and stitching, jeweller Yuki Sasakura Assiter takes inspiration from both her Japanese heritage and English surroundings. She worked as a large-scale metals welder and packaging/editorial designer before completing her BA degree in Metal and Jewellery in the UK.

MAIKO DAWSON – LEATHER

Maiko Dawson hand-makes leather shoes and bags from her studio in Southeast London. Born in Tokyo, Maiko studied shoe-making and leather work at the Cordwainers College in London. Using only the best materials she can find, Maiko carefully crafts her leather goods using traditional methods, including pattern cutting, sewing, lasting and finishing by hand.

SATO HISAO – PAPER ART

Sato Hisao creates “playfulness objects” or “tools for happiness” from simple materials like paper. Sato studied industrial design in Tokyo and worked as a watch designer before coming to London and earning a MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art. A freelance product and toy designer, Sato is based in South London.

MOMOCREATURA – JEWELLERY

Nearly Dead collection by momocreatura

The jewellery of momocreatura is influenced by European antique jewellery, and narratives such as fairy tales, folk stories, and mythology. momocreatura was founded by Momoko Tamura, who studied fine arts and trained in jewellery making in Japan before graduating with an MA in jewellery from Central St. Martins in 2009.

MIDORI TAKAKI – CERAMIC SCULPTURE

Midori Takaki captures stories and floating thoughts in her ceramics and sculptures. Her distinctive ceramic masks with their piercing stares are handbuilt from white stoneware clay, before being bisque-fired, hand-decorated and glaze-fired in her kiln in Canterbury.

PikaPika: Spotlight on Japanese Designers showcases the bright talents of contemporary UK-based Japanese designers and artists at the Gallery at Craft Central in Clerkenwell, London, 5-10 July 2016.

Curated by Creative Clerkenwell, the selling exhibition brings together cross-disciplinary work that has never been exhibited together before. Featured pieces range from ceramic sculpture to extraordinary paper pop-up books. Common threads include celebration of the handmade, meticulous attention to detail, imaginative storytelling and the duality of darkness and light.

PikaPika: Spotlight on Japanese Designers coincides with a summer of Japanese cultural and art events in London, including Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro Gallery (through 30 July), Tokyo-based pop star Toco Nikaido at the Barbican Centre (through 2 July), Butikku‘s Japanese fashion designer pop-up in Chelsea (8-24 July), and Made in Japan: Kakiemon and 400 Years of Porcelain, a new display at the British Museum (23 June – 21 August 2016).